Former prisoner, academic and blogger Alex Cavendish told Metro.co.uk: ‘Hard core nicotine addicts know that they only need to cause trouble for staff before they are “shipped out” to another establishment.

‘This in turn is reflected in a rise of disciplinary offences, including violence.

‘Another key concern is the potential impact of a smoking ban on the smuggling of contraband tobacco into prisons, either by visitors or by corrupt members of staff.’

Mr Cavendish said the low morale of prison officers and the under-staffing of prisons could exacerbate any problems caused by a smoking ban.

The real test, he said, will come when the category B jails go smoke-free.

Could the introduction of e-cigarettes help wean prisoners off tobacco? (Picture: Getty Images)

The Prison Service confirmed the smoking ban was imminent, but would only be implemented when it was safe to do so.

A spokesman told Metro.co.uk: ‘We have always been clear that we would not set any arbitrary targets for prisons to become smoke-free.

The spokesman added: ‘This phased introduction will reduce the risk to staff and prisoners of exposure to second hand smoke, whilst maintaining the safety and security of our prisons.’

The Prison Service also pointed to ‘a series of assessments which will test the operational stability, readiness and health readiness of the prisons to implement the policy in a safe, decent and secure way.’